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Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium relations in five major cereals reviewed in respect to fertilizer recommendations using simulation modelling

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Abstract

In land use plans, fertilizer recommendations are indispensable to avoid soil nutrient depletion or soil water pollution. Nutrient relations of five cereals have been evaluated on the basis of a literature review with the aim of arriving at such fertilizer recommendations at regional level. Nutrients considered were nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium for millet, sorghum, maize, rice and wheat. The relevant nutrient relations are fertilizer nutrient application to nutrient uptake, and nutrient uptake to crop yield. In addition, post-anthesis nutrient uptake is considered. Subsequently, obtained results are used in simulation modelling exercises to calculate the time required to attain an equilibrium nutrient balance and to investigate the effect of erosion control and straw recycling. Although fertilizer requirements could be assessed for each of the five cereals, monitoring of nutrient supply from natural sources remains necessary. Moreover, research on fertilizer use should focus on improvement of fertilizer recoveries and multiperiod models for both N and P uptakes by crops to allow quantitative land use planning where the time scale is included.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agronomy, Wageningen Agricultural University, P.O. Box 341, 6700 AH, Wageningen, the Netherlands

    N. van Duivenbooden

  2. Department of Theoretical Production Ecology, Wageningen Agricultural University, P.O. Box 430, 6700 AK, Wageningen, the Netherlands

    C. T. de Wit

  3. DLO-Research Institute for Agrobiology and Soil Fertility (AB-DLO), P.O. Box 14, 6700 AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands

    H. van Keulen

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  1. N. van Duivenbooden
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  2. C. T. de Wit
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  3. H. van Keulen
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van Duivenbooden, N., de Wit, C.T. & van Keulen, H. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium relations in five major cereals reviewed in respect to fertilizer recommendations using simulation modelling. Fertilizer Research 44, 37–49 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00750691

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